Canyoneering is not a new sport; it has been around for decades. It has, however, enjoyed a tremendous surge in popularity over the past several years. Unfortunately, many of the people who are discovering this exciting sport remain unaware of the inherent risks and the complex technical skills required to enjoy it safely. The rope skills learned from rock climbing and rappelling are a good start, but will prove to be inefficient, and sometimes dangerous, in an aquatic or semi-aquatic canyon environment.

Since 1999, the American Canyoneering Association (ACA) has been the premier source for training, technical information and services for recreational canyoneers, canyon leaders, guides and rescue professionals in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Asia and around the globe.

The ACA Curriculum

The curriculum follows a series of Skills Checklists and represents the most comprehensive technical training available, designed to enhance safety, efficiency and enjoyment for canyoneers of all experience levels.

Core Skills Course

Intro to Canyoneering provides students with the basic personal canyoneering skills needed to descend easy canyons as team members with competent leaders and mentors. The Core Skills checklist is the basis for this course.

Sovereign Canyoneer Course

Technical Canyoneering provides students with the intermediate anchor, rigging and on-rope skills needed to become contributing team members with competent leaders and mentors. The Sovereign Skills checklist is the basis for this course.

Aspirant Course 

Aspirant Canyon Leader Prep provides students with the necessary skills needed to become effective assistants to Canyon Leaders. The Aspirant Skills checklist is the basis for this course.

Assistant Canyon Leader Course

Assistant Canyon Leader Prep provides students with the necessary skills needed to become effective assistants to Canyon Leaders. The Assistant Canyon Leader Skills checklist is the basis for this course.

Canyon Leader Course

Canyon Leader Prep provides students with the necessary skills needed to become effective canyon leader for a recreational canyoneering group. The Canyon Leader Skills checklist if the basis for this course.

Canyon Rescue Course

Canyon Rescue provides students with companion rescue skills needed to become self sufficient problem-solvers for most canyon problems. The Aspirant, Assistant Canyon Leader, and Canyon Leader rescue skills are the basis for this course.

Seek instruction from ACA Guides/Instructors who follow the ACA Curriculum to learn skills from the ACA's Core, Aspirant, Assistant Canyon Leader, & Canyon Leader Skills Checklists. Get out and descend canyons. Lots of canyons. Practice your skills. The key to becoming a good leader or guide is to become accomplished in the sport.

Visit the ACA Canyoneering Meetup Group for the 2022 Course and Workshop Calendar.

What people are saying …

"Even though I have climbed for 15 years, I learned a lot of new, cool techniques. Wow! Great course."

May 28, 2015

"This was definitely an eye-opening experience into understanding how much there really is to canyoneering. It was a challenging week with tons and tons of information and skills to be learned. Thank you for taking extra time and effort in seeing I understood things clearly. I'm very pleased with the setup of the course. I had so much fun - the canyon trips were excellent. My excitement for canyoneering has greatened even more."

May 28, 2015

"In all my years of guiding I've learned to use many varied anchor systems. In just one day of the course I learned three new and efficient ones specially adapted to canyoneering."

June 16, 2019

"Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that I really enjoyed your course. Thanks for your patience. You are a great teacher. I have found in the past that just because one has the knowledge on something, doesn't mean they have the ability to convey that information to others in a way they can retain it. You actually have the gift. I know I retained more that I thought I would. It was a pleasure spending those three days under your guidance."

May 28, 2015

"All I can say is WOW! Terrific course. I had already taken a course from a private guide service and was concerned I might not learn anything new in the ACA basic course. My concerns were totally unfounded. I paid half as much for the ACA course and learned at least twice as much. By my math that's four times the value. Keep up the good work, ACA."

May 28, 2015